NO WAY BACK FOR KATE O’CONNELL SAY FG INSIDERS
Internal FG and FF tensions erupt after by-election
THERE is no way back for former TD Kate O’Connell as a Fine Gael candidate, despite the party’s disastrous performance in the Dublin Bay South by-election, senior party sources have told the Irish Mail on Sunday.
And, as the fallout from the by-election continues, the first signs of a challenge to Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s leadership of
Fianna Fáil emerged last night after prominent TD Barry Cowen called for a special meeting of the parliamentary party to discuss its worst-ever electoral result.
Fine Gael is reeling after losing its sole seat in a traditional stronghold, with many blaming the decision not to back Ms O’Connell in the battle to win back the seat previously held in the constituency.
Labour’s Ivana Bacik comfortably won the former Fine Gael seat held by Eoghan Murphy as the party’s candidate James Geoghegan trailed in second place.
However, a Fine Gael insider last night denied reports the party would seek to get
‘She has relationships to repair if she wants to be a candidate’
Ms O’Connell back on the party ticket for the next general election.
A Fine Gael insider told the Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘There is little sympathy [for O’Connell], even among those who were sympathetic to her before.
‘Like everyone, she has to be willing to contest a selection convention if she wants to run for Fine Gael again. She has a lot of relationships to repair if she wants to be a candidate again. I doubt she sees it that way.’
Referring to Ms O’Connell’s public criticism of Leo Varadkar, a source insisted that it wasn’t just about ‘the leader’, adding: ‘She’s had a go at everyone in the party – local members, staff, Young Fine Gael, men in the party, ministers…’
Party sources also played down suggestions of a personal rivalry between Mr Varadkar and Ms O’Connell. One source told the MoS: ‘It’s odd to see her described as having “sparred” with Leo. The blows only went one way. Leo appointed her to the Public Accounts Committee, the Repeal the Eighth Committee, added her sister to the ticket in Tipperary.’
Another senior party figure said: ‘Not only do I not see Kate O’Connell being on a ticket under this leader, I don’t see her being selected under any leader. That is where we are.
‘There are two ways of getting on a ticket. Being selected by the local organisation or being added to a ticket by the executive council. Right now both those paths will be difficult. She has further alienated opponents and alienated former allies,’ they said.
Despite losing the only Fine Gael seat in Dublin Bay South, sources said the party is confident Mr Geoghegan will be a future TD.
‘He’s a lovely guy,’ one source said. ‘So much thrown at him – fake leaflets, fake texts, personalised attacks, smears. He always remains positive. Never lost his cool or confidence, he’ll do well next time. The by-election losers from 2019 are all TDs now – Emer Higgins, Colm Burke, Verona [Murphy].’
The insider added: ‘The idea that it was ours to lose was always too simplistic. It’s a volatile constituency. Since Fine Gael regained the seat there in 2007 – there was none in 2002-2007 – we’ve got between 18% and 35%. And 26% is about midrange. We had to do much better to win it.’
However, other figures in the party hit out at the decision not to run Ms O’Connell. Mr Varakdar came in for criticism from some after overseeing his fifth election loss in a row.
One party figure told the MoS: ‘We would have won if Leo didn’t have such a problem with Kate.
‘Dublin Bay South is a political cauldron. James, a first-term councillor, was out of his depth. It was madness not to select Kate.’
Meanwhile, new Labour TD Ivana Bacik said yesterday gender played a significant role in her victory.
Ms Bacik told the MoS: ‘Electing a woman is seen as a real step forward, we were getting it as an issue on the doors.’
In contrast to the cold war between elements of Fine Gael and Ms O’Connell, Ms Bacik said: ‘I am looking forward to working with Kate on an ongoing basis. We are old friends stretching back to Repeal and when my mother worked with Kate O’Connell in their pharmacy.’
Pressure continued to mount on Mr Martin after overseeing Fianna Fáil’s worst-ever election result where Deirdre Conroy secured less than 5% of first preferences.
In the wake of the result, Dublin Bay South sitting TD and the FF byelection director of elections Jim O’Callaghan, regarded as a potential successor to Mr Martin, warned the party would see ‘similar results’ nationally unless progress is made on tackling the housing crisis.
And pressure on Mr Martin ratcheted up last night after Fianna Fáil heavyweight and former minister Barry Cowen formally requested a special in-person party meeting in the wake of the by-election.
In a letter to party TDs and Senators, Mr Cowen warned: ‘The result of the Dublin Bay South by-election is both a shock and alarming but strangely not hugely surprising’, adding: ‘It cannot simply be brushed aside, ignored or not examined.’
Mr Cowen said: ‘We are still awaiting the Fianna Fáil review of our dismal election of February 2020.
‘I know it is considered better not to have an election post-mortem too soon after the event, but such a delay is simply inexplicable at this stage. It is imperative that both that election and the latest bad result now comes under the microscope of the parliamentary party.
‘There is little or no justification for further delay on these matters.’
Mr Cowen said that, when it comes to messages being sent in by-elections, ‘it is good manners to respond to these messages’.
‘Our parliamentary party, its leadership and executive personnel of the party should meet during the summer to reflect, discuss, and take on board these messages. I believe the electorate deserve a focused, cohesive Fianna Fáil party, that is fit for purpose to serve as a republican party of the 21st Century.’
Senior party sources told the MoS last night: ‘This is the start of it.
This could be the beginning of a move on Martin.’
Fianna Fáil backbencher Marc MacSharry also hit out at the result, which he said was ‘shockingly below party standards’.
He told the MoS: ‘The result is not a reflection on the candidate, it reflects deeper and more systemic problems which have been crying out for reflection over the last five years, particularly in the last year.’
In a further hint of a move against Mr Martin, Mr MacSharry pointedly said: ‘After just a few moments of reflection, anyone who understands national politics knows what needs to happen.’
Mr MacSharry is not expected to contest a leadership battle, but one senior party source noted: ‘He is the possible stalking horse if O’Callaghan evolves into being a realistic contender.
‘The message is clear, Micheál is being told to go into a darkened room and start writing his resignation note. It is death by a thousand cuts now.’
Another senior party figure said: ‘A divide has now grown within the party between those who are ministers and those who have nothing to lose in the backbenches. The young in particular, the new TDs, are in a state of fear and fury.
‘Micheál can cling on so long as he keeps the ministers; if they start to slip away, his grip on power will be very tenuous. He has already lost the dressing room when it comes to the others.’
‘The new TDs are in a state of fear and fury’